My Favorite Punctuation
Recently, someone made a comment on my Facebook wall that got me thinking about my favorite punctuation. It's just such a difficult decision -- picking a favorite punctuation. How can a parent pick a favorite child? Punctuation marks are all so dear to me, and I use them all on a regular basis!
If I chose my favorite punctuation based on usage, I'd have to go with either the ellipsis or the em dash. Question marks, however, are so pretty. And yet, who doesn't love a good semi-colon? In my mind, semi-colons are the least understood and most underused punctuation marks in the English language.
So what'll it be? Mmmm . . . I'm gonna go with . . . the ellipsis. It's just three little dots that can say so much or so little, depending on context. Perhaps it is the most overused punctuation mark in the English language, but I don't care. It creates suspense, casts doubt, captures disinterest or nonchalance, and signifies omission. I love it.
What's your favorite punctuation?
Thing I'm thankful for: bananas and chocolate milk
posted by Sara @ 11:14 AM
11 Comments:
Easy. Mine's the ampersand. Useful and typographically pleasing!
Second place: The interrobang, mostly because it's fun to say.
This post made me miss you a whole lot. And reminded just how many reasons are that I love you!
That being said, my favorite would have to be an exclamation point. I get overly excited sometimes, and exclamation points can convey that excitement. I even carved one into a pumpkin one Halloween! Good times :)
This one is tough for me; punctuation is a part of the life for a programmer. @, *, !, (), \,, ^, : are all strong contenders. For math you can't help but love ∴. I think I am going to have to go with | though. Without the pipe, a command prompt would be meaningless to me.
If you want to narrow my realm to english then I think I'll go with the bullet. Almost everything I write comes in the form of bulleted lists and my writing would be incomplete with out it.
btw I never knew it really was called a dagger.
OH SARA! YOU know mine is the ! Exclamation point, followed by ~ atilde? And then I do like ? very much. hahahahah Good post! Love YOU MOM
Semicolon, all the way! My feelings about the ellipsis are opposite to yours.
Oh goodness Sara - you and I are truly soul friends! My favorite punctuation mark is without a doubt the em-dash (horribly misused and misunderstood, and yet so aesthetically pleasing). If everyone knew the wonders of the em-dash they'd use it constantly.
Can I tell you what punctuation mark is my least favorite? Just kidding...you know I don't have one!
Ed: love your comment.
All: I am thoroughly opposed to all the various kinds of dashes and hyphens. I feel like there should be simply one kind. None of this: "is it a hyphen, en dash, or em dash?" crap. One dash to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them.
Oh, David . . . You poor, misguided soul. I forgive you, for you know not what you say.
I agree with Ashley on all accounts. :) You're adorable!
I don't know off the top of my head what my favorite form of punctuation is, but I can tell you my least favorite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Exclamation points, especially the overuse of exclamation points, makes my insides shrivel.
I'm not saying they're never appropriate, but for the most part, I think people use it like "LOL" or "literally".
For example, "I literally just LOLed."
I just reread that and my comment sounded really hateful.
I don't mean to be a grammar hater, especially since your post was so positive.
Quickly, I will name three things I like to counteract my Debbie Downer of a comment.
I like clothes right out of the dryer, hot apple cider on a cold, Autumn night and you. I like you a lot! (See? I occasionally use exclamation points! Okay, one too many.)
Post a Comment
<< Home